U.S. Department of Defense: ‘Coordination of U.S. nuclear weapons in Korea’, Yoon Seok-yeol’s ‘nuclear-based all-in-one’ conflict
While the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense ruled out the 'integral type' in the joint guidelines of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) at the ROK-U.S. summit in Washington as 'coordination of limits to Korea's conventional support to U.S. nuclear weapons' regarding the 'ROK-U.S. “The ‘integrated extended deterrence’ system between Korea and the United States has been solidly established,” he said, clashing with the ‘integral system.’
President Yoon said at the signing of the summit that day, "The ROK-US alliance has been firmly elevated to a nuclear-based alliance in name and reality. We have specially assigned US nuclear assets to the Korean Peninsula mission, regardless of wartime or peacetime." He said at the signing of the summit, 'Nuclear-based integrated extended deterrence'.
Bipin Narang, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, said on the 16th, “Korea is contributing conventional forces,” adding, “Korean aircraft can escort or refuel U.S. bombers and weaken air defenses with conventional forces, and nuclear operations are possible.” “Because it requires a variety of conventional support, the United States approaches this issue as an equal partner with South Korea,” he told the Voice of America (VOA).
“Only the President of the United States can authorize the use of U.S. nuclear weapons,” said Assistant Secretary Narang. “Allies involved in extended deterrence need conventional support, and we must coordinate what that response will look like, and being an equal partner means that the U.S. It was defined as ‘coordination’ to mean that “the ability to coordinate South Korea’s conventional support for nuclear operations has been increased.”
He continued, “When determining a viable concept for Korea to support the United States, we approach it as an equal partner,” adding, “We are an equal partner regarding Korea’s conventional support.”
In response to a question from VOA reporter <Is it accurate that President Yoon Seok-yeol said after the Washington Declaration that the U.S.-ROK alliance is a "nuclear-based alliance in name and reality"", he responded, "When we officially provide extended deterrence to an alliance, it is a 'nuclear alliance', and Korea, European allies and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are examples,” he said.
He continued, “NATO is a nuclear alliance as long as nuclear weapons exist, and with Korea, the United States is officially expanding its nuclear weapons, and we promise to defend Korea with all capabilities, including nuclear weapons.” “It is not wrong to say that it is a nuclear-based alliance like the one we have with Japan,” he said, limiting the term to “nuclear-based alliance” as “defense of Korea by U.S. nuclear weapons” and excluding the “all-in-one” term used by President Yoon. Replaced with ‘coordination’.
The 'ROK-U.S. Joint Statement on Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations Guidelines for the Korean Peninsula' signed with U.S. President Biden on the 11th stated, "Any nuclear attack by North Korea against South Korea will be met with an immediate, overwhelming, and decisive response."
The joint statement said, “The NCG (Republic of Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group) contributes to the efforts of the ROK-US alliance to enable joint planning and implementation of Korean conventional support for US nuclear operations in case of emergency.” “We promote continuous improvement of ROK-U.S. joint exercises and training activities through training and government-wide simulations,” he said.
Deputy Minister of National Security Kim Tae-hyo said at a Washington briefing that day, "The official signature of the Ministry of National Defense of both countries was made today, and the leaders of the two countries approved it through a joint statement, completing the ROK-U.S. nuclear deterrence and nuclear operation guidelines. Accordingly, the integrated expansion of ROK-U.S. cooperation." “A deterrence system has been established,” he explained.
In Washington, the President's Office further announced, "In particular, the integrated type integrates America's nuclear power and our cutting-edge conventional power to suppress and respond to North Korean nuclear weapons at the same time."
Deputy Director Kim said on this day, “If the existing extended deterrence was determined and provided by the United States, it means that our organization, manpower, and assets have now evolved into extended deterrence that works with the United States in nuclear operations on the Korean Peninsula.” He added, “The United States is committed to suppressing North Korea’s nuclear weapons. “We have confirmed that the nuclear assets necessary to respond to this will be allocated to missions on the Korean Peninsula, regardless of whether in wartime or peacetime,” he told reporters.
At a press conference in Washington that day, President Yoon said, “All categories of South Korean capabilities will greatly contribute to the combined defense posture of the ROK-US alliance,” and added, “An integrated extended deterrence system has been established between Korea and the US.”